Useful Bible Studies > Hebrews Commentary > chapter 12

God warns us, too

Hebrews 12:25

You must be careful, because God has warned us too.

When he warned the people at the mountain called Sinai, he did it in a very powerful manner. There was fire, darkness and wind (Hebrews 12:18). The whole mountain shook (Exodus 19:18). They all heard God’s voice when he declared his commands (Hebrews 12:19; Exodus 20:1-19). They were very afraid, because his standards are perfect. His perfect laws proved that they were all guilty in God’s opinion.

Those people should have realised that only God could save them. The only proper reaction was to believe and to trust God. But instead, although they had heard God’s voice, they refused to believe him (Hebrews 3:7-11). The result of their unbelief was that they could not benefit from his promises (Hebrews 3:19).

God has chosen a particular time when we must trust him. That time is today (Hebrews 4:7). And he has warned us, by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 12:24). Because of our evil deeds, we all deserve God’s punishment (Romans 6:23). But Jesus died to suffer our punishment, if we will invite him into our lives (Isaiah 53:6; Hebrews 9:14).

So we too should realise that only God can save us. For us too, the only proper reaction is to believe and to trust God. We did not hear his voice when he declared his commands on earth. But his message comes to us from heaven, where Christ sits on the right side of God the Father (Hebrews 1:3).

And the message is this. Christ has completed his work so that God can forgive our sins (evil deeds) – Hebrews 9:26. When he returns, he will rescue his people. They are the people who eagerly wait for his return. But people who refuse to believe him cannot escape the judgement and punishment for their sins (Hebrews 9:27-28; Hebrews 2:3).

Next part: God’s voice shakes the heavens and the earth (Hebrews 12:26)

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